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This week at the movies, we've got holiday mischief ("Deck the Halls," starring Matthew Broderick and Danny DeVito), a phenomenon known as déjà vu ("Déjà Vu," starring Denzel Washington), a spiritual journey through time ("The Fountain," starring Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz), and a mystical guitar pick ("Tenacious D in: The Pick of Destiny," starring Jack Black and Kyle Gass). What do the critics have to say?

The holiday season is nearly upon us, which means another poorly-reviewed seasonal comedy is hitting theaters. In "Deck the Halls," Matthew Broderick and Danny DeVito star as next-door neighbors competing to hang the shiniest star upon the highest bough -- or at least out-decorate each other. Practical jokes and one-upmanship ensue. The critics have made a list of the film's problems and checked it twice, and they say it's too juvenile to pull off the combination of slapstick and family togetherness it's attempting. At 13 percent on the Tomatometer, "Deck the Halls" has coal in its stocking.


"Ok, the first one to cause rolling blackouts wins."

Denzel Washington rejoins director Tony Scott in "Déjà Vu" as an ATF agent who goes back in time to stop the murder of a woman he subsequently falls in love with. And while the movie's high-concept angle is riling some critics, others are falling in love with Tony Scott's unique visual twist on time travel. So either it's an original take on a familiar concept or it's about as believable as Keira Knightley the bounty hunter... At 59 percent, the pundits seem to favor the latter.


"So how do you say 'deja vu' in Aramaic?"

Beautiful and transcendent or muddled and pretentious? Darren Aronofsky's "The Fountain" is dividing the critics right down the middle. This philosophical, time-jumping sci-fi tale stars Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz as a couple in Conquistador-era Spain, the present, and in a space-age future who are obsessed with death and rebirth. "The Fountain" overflows with ideas and images, and while some critics praise the film's striking visual flair and Aronofsky's audacity, others say it's ultimately too incoherent to pull off the "2001"-esque meditation it strives for. "The Fountain" currently stands at 39 percent on the Tomatometer.


Mosh pits have not evolved much in 500 years.

Jack Black and Kyle Gass set out to unleash the Greatest Movie in the World when "Tenacious D in: The Pick of Destiny" hits theaters this week, but the critics have had a tough time figuring out if they've actually done it. The facts are smudged in this would-be biopic telling the story of the formation of The D and their quest to find a magical guitar pick that'll transform them into rock gods. When the reviews are good The D look set to rock the world, but when they're bad the word 'cerebral' pops up only in reference to what this movie is not. "Pick" currently stands at 48 percent on the Tomatometer.


"Eins, zwei, drei, Hasselhoff!"

"Bobby" and "For Your Consideration" opened in limited release last week, and now both are going wide. Emilio Estevez's "Bobby," an Altman-esque tale of the night of Robert Kennedy's assassination starring half the population of California, is at 51 percent on the Tomatometer, and the Hollywood-skewering "For Your Consideration," Christopher Guest's latest ensemble comedy, is at 52 percent. Also opening this week in limited release are "Opal Dream," a coming-of-age tale about a little girl with imaginary friends in the outback, is at 80 percent, and "The History Boys," a tale of hypercompetitive English schoolboys adapted from Alan Bennett, is at 61 percent.


"The History Boys": the UK's least intimidating street gang.

Finally, while it may be a bit early to call dreday as consistent a hitmaker as is Dr. Dre himself, it is worth noting that he came the closest to guessing the Tomatometer for "Let's Go to Prison" (8 percent), making it his second consecutive Guess victory in a row. Watch out for player haters, dreday.

Thanks to Joe Utichi for his help on this article.

Recent Denzel Washington Movies:
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88% -- Inside Man (2006)
81% -- The Manchurian Candidate (2004)
39% -- Man on Fire (2004)
66% -- Out of Time (2003)
79% -- Antwone Fisher (2002)

Recent Jack Black Movies:
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37% -- Nacho Libre (2006)
84% -- King Kong (2005)
35% -- Shark Tale (2004)
6% -- Envy (2004)
90% -- School of Rock (2003)